


Little found, little don't know where I am.

by caitlesshea



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Aliens, College, M/M, New Friends, Road Trip, Starting Over, long distance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-03 01:08:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19453252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitlesshea/pseuds/caitlesshea
Summary: Michael’s grateful that his failed attempt at a relationship with Maria didn’t ruin everything. Unfortunately, for him, it doesn't change anything. Staying in Roswell isn't going to change anything either. There’s an email on his phone that’s burning a hole in his pocket. It’s about time he clicked ‘accept’ before the deadline.





	Little found, little don't know where I am.

**Author's Note:**

> Just me here. With more fluff. I just love the idea of Michael going to college, so instead of during the ten years Alex was gone, I shifted it until after Caulfield. Don't worry, just fluff. 
> 
> Satchel's really is the best place to get pizza. Go Gata!
> 
> Title from "Burning Man" by Dierks Bentley.

“You can’t just sit here and mope all the time.” Maria says to him as she refills his Coke. 

“I’m not moping. And I’m not here all the time.” Michael says petulantly. Maria just raises an eyebrow at him.

“C’mon Guer. Isn’t it time to pick yourself up?” 

“Easy for you to say.” 

“Oh really?”

“Well yeah. You have Isobel now.” Michael’s grateful, he is. That his failed attempt at a relationship with Maria didn’t ruin _everything._

“My happiness doesn’t depend on other people Guerin, and yours shouldn’t either.” 

“Don’t let her hear you say that.”

“She knows that.” Maria says with a small smile. 

“Don’t tell her I was here okay?”

“Well you should leave now, since she’s upstairs.”

“Seriously? You couldn’t have led with that? Thanks.” Michael stands and throws some bills on the counter and goes to leave.

“You just figured something out?” Maria turns her head to the side like she’s trying to read him. He looks back at her and turns to leave. 

There’s an email on his phone that’s burning a hole in his pocket. It’s about time he clicked ‘accept’ before the deadline. 

**~~~**

“Dude. Did I really have to come all the way out here for this? Wait? What are you doing?” Kyle asks Michael as Michael finishes loading the back of his truck. He knows Kyle can see his trailer already hitched and everything packed up.

“I’m going to Florida.” Michael says nonchalantly.

“Why? To see the beach? There are closer beaches man.”

“No. To their engineering school.” Michael waits for it to click.

“No shit! University of Florida. You got in?” Michael nods ‘yes’.

“Congrats man.”

“Thanks.”

“So where is everyone? Why aren’t they also here to say goodbye?” Michael shrugs and Kyle looks at him.

“They don’t know you’re leaving do they?” 

“No.”

“And they don’t know where you’re going?”

“Nope.”

“And they have no idea that you were applying to schools?” 

Michael shakes his head ‘no’. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell them either.”

“They’re going to freak out! I can’t keep this from them? What about Alex?” 

“What about Alex? He made it clear how he feels. Look, this is something I need to do. Without Max and without Isobel. I’m trusting you not to say anything. I’ll call them when I’m settled.”

Kyle sighs and looks none to pleased to be put in this position but Michael didn’t have anyone else to tell. And at least Kyle will be able to convince them he’s not dead. 

“We’ve been separated before. They’ll be fine.”

“And will you?”

“Yeah man. I’ll let you know when I get there.”

To Michael’s surprise, Kyle leans in and hugs him. Michael brings his arms around Kyle and pats his back. 

“Good luck.”

“Thanks.”

“Michigan’s still better.” Kyle says cheekily. 

“Go Gata.”

**~~~**

In an unsurprising and somewhat sad turn of events, it takes three days for Isobel and Max to text asking where he is. 

He’s just pulled into the new RV Park where he’ll be living for the foreseeable future when he gets the first round of texts. A couple of days go by and the calls start. He even sees a few from Liz and Maria asking him to at least text that he’s okay. He almost gives in after a week of harassment when he listens to Max’s voicemail. “ _I miss you Michael, please call me.”_

He calls Kyle instead. 

_“Can’t you tell them I’m alive?”_

_“I did man. Isobel is scary when she’s upset. You owe me.”_

_Michael laughs. “Alright. Well...come visit. We’ll go to a game.”_

_“Oh I’m visiting.”_

_“How’s Alex?” Michael asks quietly._

_“Nope. First rule of Fight Club is you never talk about Fight Club.”_

_“Dude what?”_

_“I’m friends with both of you. I’m not talking about you with him or him with you. Nope.”_

_“Asshole.”_

_“Love you too man.”_

**_~~~_ **

It’s three weeks before he texts them all back, that _yes he’s okay,_ and _no he isn’t coming home._

Classes start and he gets a job at a local auto shop and he caves into being convinced of once a week phone calls and once a month Skype calls.

Kyle stays true to his word and doesn’t share his address or what he’s doing. 

He finishes his first semester and even went to a couple of football games. He owns more orange and blue then he ever thought possible. 

Spring break comes and he goes to Daytona Beach. He’s never seen the ocean and when he puts his toes in the sand and stares out at the water he understands why Liz wanted to get away and see them after high school. 

He makes it through UF’s five year engineering school in three and a half years. Three and a half years away from Roswell. Three and a half years away from his siblings. He went to Disney World one weekend on a whim and New York City with classmates over winter break one year to see the Rockefeller Tree. He _reluctantly_ started seeing the school’s counselor and even he’ll admit that she’s helped. It hasn’t always been easy, and he misses his siblings more than he cares to admit, but he knows they’re alright.

It’s not until a Skype call with Max and Isobel a couple of weeks before graduation that he even decides to go back to Roswell.

_“Liz and I are getting married. I want you to be my best man.” Max says through the computer screen._

_Michael nods his head ‘yes’ with tears in his eyes._

Kyle keeps him updated on the happenings in Roswell. He stays true to his word and rarely brings up Alex. It’s only when Michael’s handed his seven graduation tickets that he brings Alex up to Kyle. 

_“I’ve already sent yours and Jenna’s. Max and Isobel should get theirs next week.”_

_“Did you put a return address this time?” Kyle quips._

_“No. But I figure when they see the tickets they’ll know where I’ve been.”_

_“Do you think he’ll come?” Michael asks quietly._

_“I think he’d like to get the ticket. I’m not sure if he’ll come though.”_

_“That’s what I figured.”_

_“Look dude, you left without a trace. And I know why. And Max and Isobel have had to come to terms with it, but you’ve had almost four years of radio silence with him. It’s different.”_

_“This isn’t the longest we’ve been apart.”_

_“I know.”_

_“He said he was off fighting his own war, to win battles. So was I.” Michael says agitated._

_“Guerin I know that. I get it. Look, don’t let this ruin your mood. You did an amazing thing. Send the ticket. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”_

**~~~**

Michael’s nervous. He’s never graduated from anything before. Sure he graduated from high school. But he didn’t walk and didn’t make it to the ceremony. His hand was hurting too badly and the weight of what they’d done had overwhelmed him. 

He takes one last look in the mirror trying to get his cap to stay on his head with his curls. He didn’t want to decorate it but some of his classmates had made him. So, in typical Michael fashion he drew a giant green alien head out of bright green puffy paint. 

He knows that Kyle is here along with everyone else. The squealing phone call he got from Isobel and Liz when they received the tickets in the mail still makes his ears ring. He hasn’t seen them yet though, not wanting to spoil the moment of having done this by himself. 

They call his name and when he looks up to see ‘Michael Guerin’ on the jumbotron he’s surprised he makes it across the stage without breaking down. 

He’s practically vibrating with nervous energy and barely makes it outside when it’s over. He sees classmates and strangers greeted by friends and family and taking picture after picture. He gets his phone out to text everyone when he hears it.

“Guerin!” Kyle shouts through the crowd and he runs to hug Kyle. 

“Hey man.” Michael says into his shoulder. 

“Congratulations!” Kyle says when he pulls back a little to only lean in and hug him again. Michael can vaguely hear Jenna laughing and he knows she’s filming this, but he doesn’t care. 

“Michael.” He turns as he hears Isobel’s voice and then he’s being pulled into a hug with Isobel and Max. The tears are flowing and everyone is laughing. 

“Alright. C’mon I wanna take pictures.” Kyle laughs and everyone poses. He takes some with Max and Isobel, with Liz, with Maria and Jenna, and gets a friend to take one of everybody. 

“Okay. Enough. C’mon I made reservations at Satchel's. It’s the best pizza place.” Michael says as he starts to herd everyone towards their cars. 

“Not gonna take a picture with Bull Gator, Guerin?” Alex’s voice rings out and everyone pauses. Michael turns to see Alex for the first time in three and a half years and his breath catches. 

Alex looks...well Alex looks _good._ His hair is longer and his beard is more pronounced. The leather jacket, button down and tight jeans are leaving nothing to the imagination. 

“You came.” Michael’s voice is light with awe, and he mentally kicks himself.

“You came to mine.” Alex shrugs and looks Michael up and down. He gets to the cap and the curls that are trying to break free and he hides a smile.

“Yours?” Kyle asks.

Alex shrugs. “The Academy. Officer Candidate School.” 

“You knew he was in school?” Kyle asks when he notices Alex’s smirk.

“I’m good with computers.” 

Michael laughs at that. “Okay. I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”

**~~~**

When Michael makes it back to the Airstream after a successful dinner of ‘ _you would like this place Michael’ and ‘I can’t believe we’re eating in an old VW Bus’_ Alex follows him inside. 

“It looks the same.” Alex comments as he sits on the bed. 

“So you knew where I was this whole time?” Michael asks instead of commenting of his trailer. He pulls two beers out of the fridge and hands one to Alex.

“We share a bank account.” Alex deadpans. And okay, he has him there.

“I haven’t used it in a while.” Michael shrugs.

“You pay your rent out of it.” 

“Okay. So?” Michael says petulantly.

“We’re married. You think I couldn’t find out where you were? And what you were doing?”

“Fair point.” Michael concedes. “You didn’t come after me.” _Michael’s not pouting. He’s not._

“Did you want me too?” Alex raises an eyebrow at him. 

“No.” Michael shakes his head. “Yes. I don’t know.”

“You told Kyle you needed to do this. For whatever reason you didn’t want me to know. Didn’t want anyone to know. So I didn’t think it would’ve been fair of me to not give you that.” 

Michael sits down next to Alex and bumps shoulders with him. “Thank you.”

“You did the same for me.” Alex shrugs.

“You didn’t really give me a choice.”

“I know. Are you heading somewhere?” Michael notices Alex looking at the boxes and everything he has closed up.

“Yep. Back to Roswell.”

“Really?” 

Michael nods. “Accepted a job. If I stay there for three years there they’ll pay for my Master’s.”

“That’s awesome. Congratulations.” Alex smiles.

“Want me to drive you back to your hotel?”

“I don’t have a hotel.”

Michael raises an eyebrow at him. “Oh really? That’s awfully presumptuous of you Private.”

“Figured we have a lot to talk about.” 

“We do. When’s your flight?” 

“I don’t have a flight back.”

Michael smirks at him. Alex at least has the decency to look sheepish.

“You didn’t buy any plane tickets so I assumed you were driving back to Roswell for Max’s wedding in a couple of weeks.”

“Mmm. And you figured you’d hitch a ride?”

“Well… what a better way to talk out our problems when we’re stuck in a car for over twenty hours.” 

“Uh huh. I was planning on leaving in the morning.”

“Okay. I have a bag in my rental.”

“I didn’t say you could come with.”

“But didn’t you?” Alex raises an eyebrow at him and Michael caves. 

“Ugh. Fine. I have something to do in the morning. You’re welcome to join.”

“Okay. This is exciting.” Alex claps his hands together.

Michael rolls his eyes.

**~~~**

After they return Alex’s rental and hitch up the Airstream they head to breakfast to meet one of Michael’s friends. 

“You have friends?” Alex asks as they make their way inside the restaurant.

“Yes asshole. I have friends.”

“I mean, friends that you made while out here. Not Valenti.”

“Valenti is my friend.” Michael says just as he’s bombarded into a hug with his friend Luna.

“Mikey!” Luna screeches.

“Jeez. Luna. I saw you yesterday.” Michael chuckles.

“You would have a friend named Luna.” Michael can hear Alex mumble. Michael rolls his eyes. Luna peaks around Michael’s shoulder to look at Alex.

“Mikey. Who’s this?” Luna steps around Michael to introduce herself to Alex.

“I’m Luna. Unfortunate best friend of Michael Guerin.”

“I’m Alex. Unfortunate husband of Michael Guerin.”

Luna laughs loud and bright. “Oh Mikey. I like him.”

**~~~**

“I like her.” Alex says once they get on the road.

Michael rolls his eyes. “Yeah. She likes you too.”

“You can tell?”

“No. She texted me.” Michael jerks his head towards his phone. Alex laughs.

After about two hours Alex takes his prosthetic off and maneuvers himself so his back is to the window and his left leg is bent. Alex leans forward just enough that his stumps sits right on Michael’s leg. 

Michael looks down at it and then looks sideways to Alex and shakes his head in exasperation.

“Michael.” Alex whines and Michael relents and starts massaging Alex’s stump with his right hand. 

“Thank you.” Alex groans as his head bangs against the window.

“I like the hair.” Michael comments after a minute.

“Figured I’d let it grow a little.” Alex shrugs and runs his fingers through his hair. 

“It feels weird to ask you how you’ve been.” Michael says after a moment. 

“You mean we shouldn’t just jump right into all of our problems and should instead start with small talk.” 

“Well when you put it that way…”

Alex laughs. “I have a dog. A beagle named Wentz.”

“And you were grumbling about Luna’s name.” Michael snarks. Alex just shrugs his shoulders. 

“I’m sorry you know.” Michael says when the silence starts to stretch. Alex just quirks an eyebrow and Michael sighs.

“After Caulfield, and everything with Max, it felt like I was in a downward spiral with no way out. I can’t tell you that I just went to her that day because it just made everything easy. I liked her and I thought it could be something, but it wasn’t…”

“Cosmic?” 

“Yeah. We figured that out pretty quickly and we’re definitely better as friends.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

“Yeah. A couple of months after you left her and I had a really long talk, similar to yours with her I think. It’s not perfect and we’ll probably never get back to that relationship we had but it’s better.”

“I really am sorry I ruined that for you for what it’s worth.”

“I know you are.”

“We’ve really made a mess of things haven’t we?” 

“I don’t think so. You went to school. I left the Air Force and started my own consulting business. I worked out a lot about myself and about you. I know what I want now.”

“And what is it that you want?”

“You. A relationship with you. Something that eventually becomes more than just that piece of paper we have hidden away in a box with our rings.”

“Not in a box.” Michael mumbles.

“What?” 

“My ring. It’s not in a box.” Michael says as he stops his massage on Alex’s leg. He pulls out the silver chain he wears around his neck and holds it for Alex to see. 

Alex’s breath catches and he reaches into his shirt and pulls out his own chain, with his wedding band hanging around it.

“One day Private you’ll wear it for real.” Michael says as he grabs Alex’s left hand and squeezes.

**~~~**

When they finally cross the last state border into New Mexico, Michael feels like he’s been rung dry. Alex wasn’t lying, twenty some odd hours stuck in a car with someone really is the best time to air out all your issues. 

A couple of times they had to pull over to relax and reset. They drove in shifts of four hours each and stopped at two RV Parks on the way to sleep. 

“I don’t know if I really want to go back.” Michael says quietly. 

“I get that.” Alex responds and grabs Michael’s hand.

“Yeah. I guess you would.” 

“It took me a long time to realize that I could change what Roswell meant to me. My dad is dead, his legacy dismantled, and my brothers are sitting in military prisons. It’s not perfect, I’m not perfect, but I’ve made Roswell my own. It helps.”

“I think that’s what I got out of UF. I just needed…”

“Quiet?” 

“Exactly.” Michael turns to look at Alex fondly. “I needed to reset, and work on myself before I tried to fix everything else.” 

“And now?”

“Now...well now I feel like I can’t wait to see you in your Dress Blues at Max’s wedding.” 

“Guerin! That is _not_ what I meant.”

“Oh I know.” Michael smirks and then sobers. “Now I feel like I’m ready to be there, to confront some of the things I’ve pushed aside.”

“Like what?” Alex asks quietly.

“Like taking you on a real date. Like being there for Max and Isobel. Like hanging out with Kyle and Liz. Like finally being present.” 

“I think you can do that.”

“Do what?”

“Take me on a date.” Michael smirks and pulls Alex’s hand up to kiss the back of it.

“Oh I’m counting on it.”

“Well Cowboy, you have to take me home first.”

“Home. I like that.”

“Good, because I got you a key too.” Alex jangles his keys for Michael to see. 

Michael pulls the truck over in record speed, puts it in park and reaches over and grabs Alex and kisses him, hard.

When they finally come up for air Michael smiles and leans his forehead on Alex’s. They’re breathing in sync and Michael can feel Alex’s breath mingling with his. 

Michael finally looks up and laughs at the billboard he parked in front of. Alex notices and turns and laughs with him.

“Of course.” Alex says and kisses Michael again. Michael smiles into the kiss and brings his hands around Alex’s neck. 

In front of the truck and there in all its glory is the “Welcome to Roswell” billboard. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come find me on Tumblr - same username!


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